Sure sounds like Myles Garrett isn't accountable for his part in the Browns failure

Myles Garrett finally ripped off the bandaid on Monday, officially demanding a trade from the Cleveland Browns after eight seasons with the team. And for as brutal a blow as it is for Browns fans, it's also tough to blame him: Despite blossoming into arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL, Garrett has experienced exactly one playoff win since Cleveland took him No. 1 overall back in 2017. He turned 29 in December, closer to the end of his prime than the start of it, and after a 3-14 finish this past season, Cleveland doesn't seem capable of fielding a competitive roster around its best player before his contract runs out in two years.

In a public statement, Garrett cited his "ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl" as his motivation for wanting out, writing that "my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won't allow me to be complacent".

But while you can understand why Garrett would look at the never-ending dysfunction around him — and the uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson — and conclude that it was time for a change, he shouldn't get off scot-free here either. Garrett is a true superstar and future Hall of Famer, one of the best players to ever put on a Browns uniform. He isn't completely blameless for the team's current predicament, though.

Myles Garrett's rift with Baker Mayfield played a role in Browns' current mess

So much of the current mess in Cleveland can be tied back to the team's decision to move on from quarterback Baker Mayfield (and mortgage its future to replace him with Watson). And for as much as Garrett would like to be the simple victim here, he bears as much blame for that decision as anyone.

As back-to-back No. 1 overall picks, Garrett and Mayfield looked to be the duo that would finally lead Cleveland out of decades of darkness. But for whatever reason, the two seemingly never saw eye-to-eye during their time with the Browns. It began back in 2019, when Mayfield put Garrett on blast publicly for the latter's helmet incident with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, calling his actions “inexcusable” in a postgame interview. Two years later, Garrett appeared to take Odell Beckham Jr.'s side after a rift between the wide receiver and Mayfield eventually led to OBJ's release.

That offseason, according to Cleveland.com, "the chasm between Mayfield and Garrett widened to the point where Garrett felt something had to change for the 2022 season, whatever that might be". It can't be a coincidence that, just a few months later, Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers.

Of course, Cleveland had other reasons for wanting a change at quarterback; Mayfield had regressed badly while battling a shoulder injury in 2021, and it was still an open question whether he was good enough to get a team to a Super Bowl. Watson, while he came with a ton of character concerns, seemed to at least be a clear on-field upgrade. It's entirely possible that the Browns would've made the switch even if Garrett hadn't made his feelings perfectly clear.

But the fact remains that Garrett was the most important voice in the Browns' locker room, and the team's front office knew exactly where he stood on the team's quarterback situation. If Garrett had come to Mayfield's defense, it's unlikely that Cleveland would've risked alienating its All-Pro — and the Mayfield who sure looks like a franchise QB with the Tampa Bay Bucs may still be around.